1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to methods and apparatuses of separating cells, and more particularly to methods and apparatuses of separating cells using magnets and droplet type cell suspension, which may effectively separate cells by forming droplet type cell suspension with cell suspension sample containing cells to which magnetic beads are coupled and applying magnetic force to the droplet type cell suspension.
2. Description of the Related Art
Methods of separating cells in the related art are classified into two methods. Specifically, a first method is to separate cells using a tube type apparatus of separating using magnetic force and gravitation and a second method is to separate cells using sizes of cell transport channel and cells.
The first method occupies 70˜80% of cell separation methods that are currently performed. The method is performed in a manner that many metal balls of ferrite are provided in the tube type cell separation apparatus and magnetic field is applied to the tube type cell separation apparatus while cell suspension is inputted into the tube type cell separation apparatus in a gravitational direction.
At this time, since cells to be separated are coupled to a magnetic bead by using antigen-antibody reaction, the cells tend to stick to a surrounding magnetic body. Accordingly, the metal balls made of paramagnetic ferrite become magnetized when the magnetic field is applied while cell suspension is inputted, so that the cells to which magnetic beads are coupled stick to the metal balls.
According to the first method, metal balls having a diameter of 50˜100 μm are mostly used. However, since a size of a void between the metal balls is variable depending on the sizes of the metal balls, the size of the metal ball should be adjusted all the time so as to separate cells having various sizes.
Further, since the cells to be separated are in contact with the metal balls, an absorption tends to occur. In addition, when the cells lump, it is difficult for the cells to pass through the void between the metal balls, so that a sieve should be used before separating.
Second, according to the second method of separating cells using sizes of cell transport channel and cells to be separated, a channel through which cell suspension containing cells to be separated passes is formed and another channel adapted to a size of the cells to be separated is formed at an end of the channel, so that the cells to be separated moves only via the channel adapted to a size of the cells to be separated.
According to the second method, like the first method, a new channel should be formed depending on a size of cells to be separated. Further, when cells having a size smaller than that of cells to be separated are mixed, it is difficult to discriminate cells at a time.